The present invention relates generally to systems for capturing and processing digital image data from commercially available image receptors, and more specifically to such systems that are adapted to interface with a plurality of image receptors that have different interface parameters.
Image receptors used in the medical imaging industry include, for example, CCD cameras, and flat panel detectors (FPDs). Generally, a radiation source directs emitted radiation that is partially passed through, and partially absorbed by, a subject. The image receptor records an image based upon the amount of absorbed radiation (which can be inferred from the amount that is passed by the subject such that it reaches the image receptor). The data generated by these image receptors (that is, the “output data”) is sent via a predetermined protocol to a data processing module (sometimes herein referred to as an “image processor” or “image data processing unit”) which is programmed to receive formatted data in a predetermined format. The data processing module processes the output data to produce processed data. The processed data can then be communicated to a display unit, such as a CRT. The processed data can, additionally or alternatively, be stored in memory for archiving and subsequent retrieval and viewing.
Each of the various types and even different versions of the same type of image receptors has a unique interface. For purposes of this document, a “type” of image receptor will refer to any group of image receptors that share the same predetermined format and predetermined interface parameters with respect to the output data, regardless of the hardware and/or software used to receive the radiation and convert that information into corresponding output data.
Conventional image data processing modules are designed to receive and convert output data from a single type of image receptor. In other words, conventional image data processing modules can only handle output data provided in a single predetermined format with predetermined parameters, and cannot handle output data in multiple formats and/or with multiple sets of parameters. Therefore, if an imaging center uses two or more different types of receptors, then a separate data processing module will be required to interface with each receptor type.